History Tiberias

1 history

1.1 biblical period
1.2 herodian period
1.3 roman period
1.4 byzantine period
1.5 muslim period
1.6 crusader period
1.7 mamluk period
1.8 ottoman period

1.8.1 dr. torrance s hospital


1.9 british mandate
1.10 israel

history

leaning tower @ se corner of zahir al-umar s walls, part of greek orthodox monastery of twelve apostles



see diocese of tiberias ecclesiastical history

biblical period

jewish tradition holds tiberias built on site of ancient israelite village of rakkath or rakkat, first mentioned in book of joshua. in talmudic times, jews still referred name.

herodian period

tiberias founded sometime around 20 ce in herodian tetrarchy of galilee , peraea roman client king herod antipas, son of herod great. herod antipas made capital of realm in galilee , named roman emperor tiberius. city built in immediate proximity spa had developed around 17 natural mineral hot springs, hammat tiberias. tiberias @ first strictly pagan city, later became populated jews, growing spiritual , religious status exerting strong influence on balneological practices. conversely, in antiquities of jews, roman-jewish historian josephus calls village hot springs emmaus, today s hammat tiberias, located near tiberias. name appears in wars of jews.

in days of herod antipas, of religiously orthodox jews, struggling against process of hellenization, had affected priestly groups, refused settle there: presence of cemetery rendered site ritually unclean jews , particularly priestly caste. antipas settled many non-jews there rural galilee , other parts of domains in order populate new capital, , built palace on acropolis. prestige of tiberias great sea of galilee came named sea of tiberias; however, jewish population continued call yam ha-kineret , traditional name. city governed city council of 600 committee of 10 until 44 ce when roman procurator set on city after death of herod agrippa i.

roman period

tiberias mentioned in john 6:23 location boats had sailed eastern side of sea of galilee. crowd seeking jesus after miraculous feeding of 5000 used these boats travel capernaum on north-western part of sea.

under roman empire, city known greek name Τιβεριάς (tiberiás, modern greek Τιβεριάδα tiveriáda), adaptation of taw-suffixed semitic form preserved feminine grammatical gender. in 61 ce herod agrippa ii annexed city kingdom capital caesarea philippi. during first jewish–roman war took control of city , destroyed herod s palace, able stop city being pillaged army of jewish ruler had remained loyal rome. while other cities in provinces of judaea, galilee , idumea razed, tiberias spared because inhabitants remained loyal rome, after josephus had surrendered city future roman emperor vespasian. became mixed city after fall of jerusalem in 70 ce; judea subdued, surviving southern jewish population migrated galilee.

the roman-byzantine southern city gate



remains of crusader fortress gate ancient lintel in secondary use

there no direct indication tiberias, rest of galilee, took part in bar kokhba revolt of 132–136 ce, allowing exist, despite heavy economic decline due war. following expulsion of jews judea after 135 ce, tiberias , neighbor sepphoris (hebrew name: tzippori) became major jewish cultural centres, competing within jewish world status , recognition babylon, alexandria, aleppo , persian empire.

in 145 ce, rabbi simeon bar yochai, familiar galilee, hiding there on decade, cleansed city of ritual impurity , allowing jewish leadership resettle there judea province, fugitives. sanhedrin, jewish court, fled jerusalem during great jewish revolt against rome, , after several attempted moves, in search of stability, settled in tiberias in 150 ce. final meeting place before disbanding in byzantine period. when johanan bar nappaha (d. 279) settled in tiberias, city became focus of jewish religious scholarship in land. mishnah, collected theological discussions of generations of rabbis in land of israel – in academies of tiberias , caesarea – compiled in tiberias rabbi judah hanasi around 200 ce. jerusalem talmud follow being compiled rabbi jochanan between 230–270 ce. tiberias 13 synagogues served spiritual needs of growing jewish population.

byzantine period

in 6th century tiberias still seat of jewish religious learning. in light of this, letter of syriac bishop simeon of beth arsham urged christians of palaestina seize leaders of judaism in tiberias, put them rack, , compel them command jewish king, dhu nuwas, desist persecuting christians in najran.

in 614, tiberias site where, during final jewish revolt against byzantine empire, parts of jewish population supported persian invaders; jewish rebels financed benjamin of tiberias, man of immense wealth; according christian sources, during revolt christians massacred , churches destroyed. in 628, byzantine army returned tiberias upon surrender of jewish rebels , end of persian occupation after defeated in battle of nineveh. year later, influenced radical christian monks, emperor heraclius instigated wide-scale slaughter of jews, practically emptied galilee of jewish population, survivors fleeing egypt.

early muslim period

tiberias, or tabariyyah in arab transcription, conquered (the arab commander) shurahbil in year 13 ah (634 [ce]) capitulation; 1 half of houses , churches belong muslims, other half christians. since 636 ce, tiberias served regional capital, until beit took place, following rashidun conquest. caliphate allowed 70 jewish families tiberias form core of renewed jewish presence in jerusalem , importance of tiberias jewish life declined. caliphs of umayyad dynasty built 1 of square-plan palaces on waterfront north of tiberias, @ khirbat al-minya. tiberias revitalised in 749, after bet shean destroyed in earthquake. imposing mosque, 90 metres (300 feet) long 78 metres (256 feet) wide, resembling great mosque of damascus, raised @ foot of mount berenice next byzantine church, south of city, eighth century ushered in tiberias s golden age, when multicultural city may have been tolerant of middle east. jewish scholarship flourished beginning of 8th century end of 10th., when oral traditions of ancient hebrew, still in use today, codified. 1 of leading members of tiberian masoretic community aaron ben moses ben asher, refined oral tradition known tiberian hebrew. ben asher credited putting finishing touches on aleppo codex, accurate existing manuscript of hebrew scriptures.

remains of roman theatre



hammat tiberias synagogue floor

the arab geographer al-muqaddasi writing in 985, describes tiberias hedonistic city afflicted heat:- 2 months dance; 2 months gobble; 2 months swat; 2 months go naked; 2 months play reed flute; , 2 months wallow in mud. capital of jordan province, , city in valley of canaan...the town narrow, hot in summer , unhealthy...there here 8 natural hot baths, no fuel need used, , numberless basins besides of boiling water. mosque large , fine, , stands in market-place. floor laid in pebbles, set on stone drums, placed close 1 another. according muqaddasi, suffered scab or ulcers, , other such diseases came tiberias bathe in hot springs 3 days. afterwards dip in spring cold, whereupon...they become cured.

in 1033 tiberias again destroyed earthquake. further earthquake in 1066 toppled great mosque. nasir-i khusrou visited tiberias in 1047, , describes city strong wall begins @ border of lake , goes around town except on water-side. furthermore, describes

numberless buildings erected in water, bed of lake in part rock; , have built pleasure houses supported on columns of marble, rising out of water. lake full of fish. [] friday mosque in midst of town. @ gate of mosque spring, on have built hot bath. [] on western side of town mosque known jasmine mosque (masjid-i-yasmin). fine building , in middle part rises great platform (dukkan), have mihrabs (or prayer-niches). round have set jasmine-shrubs, mosque derives name.

crusader period

the scots hotel in restored former hospital of dr. torrance

during first crusade tiberias occupied franks after capture of jerusalem. city given in fief tancred, made capital of principality of galilee in kingdom of jerusalem; region called principality of tiberias, or tiberiad. in 1099 original site of city abandoned, , settlement shifted north present location. st. peter s church, built crusaders, still standing today, although building has been altered , reconstructed on years.

at beginning of 12th century jewish community of tiberias numbered 50 families; , @ time best manuscripts of torah said found there. in 12th-century, city subject of negative undertones in islamic tradition. hadith recorded ibn asakir of damascus (d. 1176) names tiberias 1 of 4 cities of hell. have been reflecting fact @ time, town had notable non-muslim population.

in 1187, saladin ordered son al-afdal send envoy count raymond of tripoli requesting safe passage through fiefdom of galilee , tiberias. raymond obliged grant request under terms of treaty saladin. saladin s force left caesarea philippi engage fighting force of knights templar. templar force destroyed in encounter. saladin besieged tiberias; after 6 days town fell. on july 4, 1187 saladin defeated crusaders coming relieve tiberias @ battle of hattin, 10 kilometres (6 miles) outside city. however, during third crusade, crusaders drove muslims out of city , reoccupied it.

rabbi moshe ben maimon, (maimonides) known rambam, leading jewish legal scholar, philosopher , physician of period, died in 1204 in egypt , later buried in tiberias. tomb 1 of city s important pilgrimage sites. yakut, writing in 1220s, described tiberias small town, long , narrow. describes hot salt springs, on have built hammams use no fuel.

the tomb of maimonides


mamluk period

in 1265 crusaders driven city egyptian mamluks, ruled tiberias until ottoman conquest in 1516.

ottoman period

tiberias harbour



inquisition , jews: doña gracia museum.

as ottoman empire expanded along southern mediterranean coast under great sultan selim i, reyes católicos (catholic monarchs) began establishing inquisition commissions. many conversos, (marranos , moriscos) , sephardi jews fled in fear ottoman provinces, settling @ first in constantinople, salonika, sarajevo, sofia , anatolia. sultan encouraged them settle in palestine. in 1558, portuguese-born marrano, doña gracia, granted tax collecting rights in tiberias , surrounding villages suleiman magnificent. envisaged town becoming refuge jews , obtained permit establish jewish autonomy there. in 1561 nephew joseph nasi, lord of tiberias, encouraged jews settle in tiberias. securing firman sultan, , joseph ben adruth rebuilt city walls , lay groundwork textile (silk) industry, planting mulberry trees , urging craftsmen move there. plans made jews move papal states, when ottomans , republic of venice went war, plan abandoned.

in 1624, when sultan recognized fakhr-al-din ii lord of arabistan (from aleppo borders of egypt), druze leader made tiberias capital. 1660 destruction of tiberias druze resulted in abandonment of city jewish community, unlike tiberias, nearby city of safed recovered destruction, , wasn t entirely abandoned, remaining important jewish center in galilee.

in 1720s, arab ruler zahir al-umar, of zaydani clan, fortified town , signed agreement neighboring bedouin tribes prevent looting. accounts time tell of great admiration people had zahir, war against bandits on roads. richard pococke, visited tiberias in 1727, witnessed building of fort north of city, , strengthening of old walls, attributing dispute pasha of damascus. under instructions ottoman porte, sulayman pasha al-azm of damascus laid siege tiberias in 1742, intention of eliminating zahir, siege unsuccessful. in following year, sulayman set out repeat attempt greater reinforcements, died en route.

tiberas, 1862

under zahir s patronage, jewish families encouraged settle in tiberias. invited rabbi chaim abulafia of smyrna rebuild jewish community. synagogue built still stands today, located in court of jews.

in 1775, ahmed el-jazzar butcher brought peace region iron fist. in 1780, many polish jews settled in town. during 18th , 19th centuries received influx of rabbis re-established center jewish learning. around 600 people, including 500 jews, died when town devastated 1837 galilee earthquake. rabbi haim shmuel hacohen konorti, born in spain in 1792, settled in tiberias @ age of 45 , driving force in restoration of city.

however, american expedition reported tiberias still in state of disrepair in 1847/1848.

dr. torrance s hospital

in 1885, scottish doctor , minister, david watt torrance, opened mission hospital in tiberias accepted patients of races , religions. in 1894, moved larger premises @ beit abu shamnel abu hannah. in 1923 son, dr. herbert watt torrance, appointed head of hospital. after establishment of state of israel, became maternity hospital supervised israeli department of health. after closure in 1959, building became guesthouse until 1999, when renovated , reopened scots hotel.

tiberias, 1920s


british mandate

initially relationship between arabs , jews in tiberias good, few incidents occurring in nebi musa riots , disturbances throughout palestine in 1929. first modern spa built in 1929.

the landscape of modern town shaped great flood of november 11, 1934. deforestation on slopes above town combined fact city had been built series of closely packed houses , buildings – sharing walls – built in narrow roads paralleling , closely hugging shore of lake. flood waters carrying mud, stones, , boulders rushed down slopes , filled streets , buildings water rapidly many people did not have time escape; loss of life , property great. city rebuilt on slopes , british mandatory government planted swiss forest on slopes above town hold soil , prevent similar disasters recurring. new seawall constructed, moving shoreline several yards out form former shore. in october 1938, arab militants murdered 20 jews in tiberias during 1936–39 arab revolt in palestine.

hamei tveriya hot springs , spa

between april 8–9, 1948, sporadic shooting broke out between jewish , arab neighborhoods of tiberias. on april 10, haganah launched mortar barrage, killing arab residents. local national committee refused offer of arab liberation army take on defense of city, small contingent of outside irregulars moved in. during april 10–17, haganah attacked city , refused negotiate truce, while british refused intervene. newly arrived arab refugees nasir ad-din told of civilians there being killed, news brought panic residents of tiberias. arab population of tiberias (6,000 residents or 47.5% of population) evacuated under british military protection on 18 april 1948.

the scots hotel. april 1948

widespread looting of arab areas jewish population had suppressed force haganah , jewish police, killed or injured several looters. @ end of year ben-gurion staying in tiberias when ambassador israel, james macdonald called see him on 30 december 1948. envoy presented british ultimatum israeli troops leave sinai, egyptian territory. israel rejected it, tiberias became famous.

israel

view of tiberias

the city of tiberias has been entirely jewish since 1948. many sephardic , mizrahi jews settled in city, following jewish exodus arab countries in late 1940s , 1950s. on time, government housing built accommodate of new population, in many other development towns. on time, city came rely on tourism, becoming major galileean center christian pilgrims , internal israeli tourism. ancient cemetery of tiberias , old synagogues drawing religious jewish pilgrims during religious holidays. pm yitzhak rabin mentioned town in memoirs on occasion of signing historic peace agreement egypt in 1979; , again @ casablanca conference in 1994.

tiberias consists of small port on shores of galilee lake both fishing , tourist activities. since 1990s, importance of port fishing gradually decreasing, decline of tiberias lake level, due continuing droughts , increased pumping of fresh water lake. expected lake of tiberias regain original level (almost 6 metres (20 feet) higher today), full operational capacity of israeli desalination facilities 2014.

plans underway expand city new neighborhood, kiryat sanz, built on slope on western side of kinneret , catering exclusively haredi jews.